'He's a God-like figure': All Blacks anxious of Diego Maradona effect on Pumas on eve of crucial Tri-Nations clash
The All Blacks can’t bear to think about a rare third straight defeat as the Pumas look to “do it for Diego” in Saturday night’s Tri Nations crunch match in Newcastle.
Coveted silverware is on the line at McDonald Jones Stadium and New Zealand captain Sam Cane wasn’t beating about the bush when describing the mood in camp following back-to-back losses to Australia and Argentina.
“The last two games; the feeling is just horrible. There’d be nothing worse than feeling that again heading into the summer,” Cane said ahead of the All Blacks’ last Test of 2020.
“The pressure that we’re under as a team, we’re using that in a really positive way to drive us.
“There is a slightly different mood; there’s been a bit of edge, a wee bit of almost grumpiness throughout the week.
“The guys from the leadership group are making sure things are spot on. It’s sort of like we’re going in there to do a job and hopefully come up with a result.”
The All Blacks haven’t endured three consecutive defeats this century, not since 1998 in fact.
If they do again, the Pumas will be in the box seat to claim their most significant trophy ever entering the final match of the tournament against the Wallabies on Saturday week.
On the flip side, the All Blacks can secure the Tri Nations with a bonus-point victory – by out-scoring the Pumas by three tries or more.
“Everyone in the squad is hurting but a lot of us that went out and played (in the historic loss to Argentina), get the opportunity to right some wrongs, put some pride back in the jersey, is good for us so let’s take it,” Cane said on Friday.
Soaking up the NRL off-season, Penrith Panthers and New South Wales playmaker Nathan Cleary was at Pumas training at Leichhardt Oval on Thursday.https://t.co/EsiM8gszbI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 27, 2020
A win for the unbeaten Pumas would leave the South Americans needing only a bonus point, from a loss of seven points or less to the Wallabies, to claim the trophy.
And Cane has no doubt the passionate and inspired underdogs will be extra motivated following the death this week of Argentine legend Diego Maradona.
“He’s one of the all-time greats, if not the greatest. He was the footballer of the century I’ve been told,” Cane said.
“Knowing the Argentinian people, he’s viewed as a God-like figure over there. It’s always sad when a great sportsman or woman passes away, so I’m sure it’ll be a bit of a driving factor for them.”
The Wallabies will be watching the game with interest.
With all three teams tied on six competition points, the preferred result for the Wallabies on Saturday night would be a draw.
In the event of that unlikely scenario, the next-best outcome for Australian fans is a tight contest without any bonus points accrued by either the All Blacks or Pumas.
That would leave the Wallabies, the tournament outsiders because of their poor points differential, needing “only” a bonus-point win over the Pumas in Sydney to secure the title.
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
55 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
55 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
55 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
55 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
55 Go to comments